Fuel dispensing system

ABSTRACT

A clip is provided for use with a fuel dispensing device having a nozzle equipped with bellows, wherein the fuel dispensing device requires movement of the bellows away from the nozzle tip to a dispensing position to dispense a fuel. The clip holds the bellows at least at the dispensing position so the fuel can be dispensed with one hand, even for shallow fuel tanks.

BACKGROUND

Modern fuel dispensers comprise a nozzle with a bellows, also known as avapor collection boot, around the nozzle. The purpose of the bellows isto engage an inlet to a fuel tank to collect vapors to minimize airpollution. The fuel pump can include an interlock system so that unlessthe bellows is retracted from the nozzle tip a sufficient distance, fuelcannot be dispensed, thus making sure the bellows is properly engagedwith the fuel inlet.

A problem with these types of dispensers occurs with shallow fuel tanks,such as those on motorcycles or refill tanks. In such devices, the tipof the nozzle can bottom out before the bellows is pushed a sufficientdistance away from the tip of the nozzle to reach the dispensingposition so that the interlock allows fuel to be dispensed.

A remedy for this situation that sometimes works is the user, by hand,pushes the bellows back from the nozzle tip while the user's other handholds the nozzle handle for dispensing fuel. This may not be asatisfactory solution for some handicapped persons, and for personslacking sufficient strength to hold the bellows in a retracted positionfor the time it takes to fill up a tank.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system that permits dispensing offuel from a bellows equipped nozzle into shallow containers, preferablyone-handed.

SUMMARY

The invention is directed to a system that satisfies this need. Thesystem allows fuel to be dispensed from a fuel dispensing device havinga nozzle equipped with bellows requiring movement away from the nozzletip to at least a dispensing position to dispense the fuel. According toa method of the present invention, the bellows are moved away from thenozzle tip to at least the dispensing position, and a clip is placed onthe nozzle adjacent to the bellows to hold the bellows retracted atleast at the dispensing position. The clip comprises a substantiallyrigid body with a slot therein. The slot is sufficiently large that itslides over the nozzle, but sufficiently small that it does not slidedown the nozzle towards the tip after placement. After the clip is inposition, the dispensing device is activated to dispense fuel throughthe nozzle.

Preferably the clip is sized and shaped so that it can fit into a walletso it is easily transported and accessible. Thus, the clip can comprisea body having parallel planar upper and lower surfaces with a thicknessof about 1/32 to about ¼ inch. More preferably the thickness is fromabout 1/16 to about ¼ inch, and most preferably about ⅛ inch. The upperand lower surfaces preferably are generally rectangular with a widthless than about 3 inches and a length less than about 4 inches, morepreferably with a width of from about 2 to about 2¼ inches, and a lengthof from about 3 to about 3¼ inches.

The slot extends from the peripheral edge of the body and preferably theend of the slot away from the peripheral edge is radiused, and typicallywith a radius of about 1 inch, and preferably ⅞ inch, which is similarto the radius of a typical gasoline dispensing nozzle. The slot can havea width of from about ¾ to about 1 inch and a length of about 1¾ inches.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with references to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows a conventional fuel dispensing nozzle with the bellowsbeing held in a retracted position at least up to or beyond thedispensing position by a clip; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clip shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION

With regard to FIG. 1, a conventional fuel dispensing vapor recoverydevice 10 has a nozzle 12 with a dispensing tip 14. The device 10 has ahandle 16 portion and a vapor recovery bellows 18 around most of thelength of the nozzle 12. When the bellows 18 is retracted to adispensing position 20 or further, i.e., at least to the dispensingposition, an interlock system (not shown) allows fuel to be dispensedfrom the nozzle 12 by pulling on the handle 22.

A clip 24 holds the bellows 18 in a retracted position at least to thedispensing position 20. Typically there is a circumferential, ridge,rib, or flange 21 on the outside of the nozzle to which the bellowsneeds to be retracted to dispense fuel. Thus the flange can be at thedispensing position. The flange 21 prevents the clip from sliding downthe nozzle and allowing the bellows to move below the dispensing point,thereby preventing fuel from being dispensed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the clip 24 has a body 26 with substantially planar,substantially parallel upper 28 and lower 30 surfaces and a peripheraledge 32. The surfaces 28 and 30 are referred to as “upper” and “lower”for convenience; it is apparent that the clip 24 can be oriented in anyposition such as being flipped over and used with either surface beingthe relatively “upper” surface.

The system can be used with all types of fuels, including gasoline,diesel fuel, kerosene and heating oil.

It is desirable that the clip 24 be sized and shaped and easilytransportable and not lost, and for this purpose, it is sized and shapedto fit into a wallet much like a credit card can. Accordingly, theperipheral edge 32 is shaped so that upper surface 28 and lower surface30 are generally rectangular, which includes square-shaped. Preferablythe width of the body is less than about 3 inches and the length is lessthan about 4 inches, and more preferably the width is about 2 to about2¼ inches and the length is from about 3 to about 3¼ inches. Thethickness of the body 26 is preferably from about 1/32 to about ¼ inch,more preferably from about 1/16 to about ¼ inch, and most preferablyabout ⅛ inch.

The body 26 has a slot 34 that is sized and shaped to fit over thenozzle 12 and hold the bellows 18 in place. The slot 34 is sufficientlysmall that it does not slide down the nozzle towards the nozzle tip 14after placement; i.e cannot slide over the flange 21. Typically the slot34 has a width of about ¾ to about 1 inch, and preferably has a lengthof less than about 2 inches, and typically about 1¾ inch, so that theslot 34 can fit snugly over the nozzle 12. Preferably the end 36 of theslot 34 distal from the peripheral edge 32 is radiused, having a radiusof about 1 inch, and typically ⅞ inch.

Preferably the clip 24 is formed from a substantially rigid material,preferably a plastic such as a polycarbonate or acrylic. Optionally itcan be made of a metal, such as sheet steel.

To use the clip 24, the end of the bellows 18 is retracted from thedispensing tip 14 of the nozzle at least to the dispensing position 20with the flange 21 visible. The clip 24 is then slipped onto the nozzle12 as shown in FIG. 1 adjacent to the bellows 18 and above the flange 21to hold the bellows 18 at least at the dispensing position 20. Thenozzle 12 is inserted into a fuel tank and the handle 22 is engaged.Thus the fuel dispensing device is activated to dispense fuel, and fuelcan be dispensed one handed.

All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims,abstracts, and drawings, and all the steps in any method or processdisclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations whereat least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Eachfeature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract,and drawings, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same,equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus,unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one exampleonly of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. Any elementin a claim that does not explicitly state “means” for performing aspecified function or “step” for performing a specified function, shouldnot be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35U.S.C. §112.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to the preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible. For example, it is not necessary that all surfaces be planar.For example, the clip 24 can be spherical. Also the slot 34 need nothave parallel sides 38. It instead it can have a tapering width, whereit is wider at the peripheral edge 32 tapering to become smaller furtherinto the body to accommodate nozzles of various shapes and diameters.Therefore the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to thedescription of the preferred versions contained therein.

1. A clip for use with a fuel dispensing device having a nozzle equippedwith bellows requiring movement away from the nozzle tip to a dispensingposition to dispense the fuel, the clip comprising: a) a substantiallyrigid body having a peripheral edge; b) a slot in the body through theperipheral edge, the slot being sufficiently wide and long that the clipcan slide over the nozzle to hold the bellows in place at or above thedispensing position, but sufficiently small that it does not slide downthe nozzle toward the tip after placement.
 2. The clip of claim 1wherein the body has parallel planar upper and a lower surfaces and athickness of from about 1/32 to about ¼ inch.
 3. The clip of claim 2wherein the thickness of the body is from about 1/16 to about ¼ inch. 4.The clip of claim 3 wherein the thickness of the body is about ⅛ inch.5. The clip of claim 2 wherein the upper and lower surfaces aregenerally rectangular with a width less than about 3 inches and a lengthless than about 4 inches.
 6. The clip of claim 5 wherein the width isabout 2 to about 2¼ inches and the length is from about 3 to about 3¼inches.
 7. The clip of claim 2 wherein the slot has a width of fromabout ¾ to about 1 inch.
 8. The clip of claim 7 wherein the slot has alength of about 1¾ inches.
 9. The clip of claim 1 wherein the end of theslot distant from the peripheral edge is radiused.
 10. A method fordispensing liquid fuel from a fuel dispensing device having a nozzleequipped with bellows requiring movement away from the nozzle tip to adispensing position to dispense the fuel, the method comprising thesteps of: a) moving the bellows away from the nozzle tip to at least thedispensing position; b) placing a clip on the nozzle tip adjacent thebellows to hold the bellows at least at the dispensing position, theclip comprising a substantially rigid body with a slot therein, the slotbeing sufficiently large that it fits over the nozzle but sufficientlysmall that it does not slide down the nozzle toward the tip afterplacement; and c) after step (b), activating the dispensing device todispense fuel through the nozzle.
 11. A method for dispensing liquidfuel from a fuel dispensing device having a nozzle equipped with bellowsrequiring movement away from the nozzle tip to a dispensing position todispense the fuel, the method comprising the steps of: a) retracting thebellows away from the nozzle tip to at least the dispensing position; b)placing the clip of claim 1 on the nozzle tip adjacent the bellows tohold the bellows at least at the dispensing position with the slotfitting over the nozzle; and c) after step (b), activating thedispensing device to dispense fuel through the nozzle.
 12. The method ofclaim 11 wherein the body has parallel planar upper and a lower surfacesand a thickness of from about 1/32 to about ¼ inch.
 13. The method ofclaim 12 wherein the thickness of the body is from about 1/16 to about ¼inch.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the thickness of the body isabout ⅛ inch.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the upper and lowersurfaces are generally rectangular with a width less than about 3 inchesand a length less than about 4 inches.
 16. The method of claim 15wherein the width is about 2 to about 2¼ inches and the length is fromabout 3 to about 3¼ inches.
 17. The method of claim 12 wherein the slothas a width of from about ¾ to about 1 inch.
 18. The method of claim 17wherein the slot has a length about 1¾ inches.
 19. The method of claim11 wherein the nozzle has a flange proximate to the dispensing positionand the slot is sized so that the clip cannot slide down the nozzle overthe flange, and wherein the step of retracting the bellows comprisesretracting the bellows a sufficient distance that the flange is visible,and the step of placing the clip comprises placing the clip above theflange.
 20. The clip of claim 1 wherein the nozzle has a flangeproximate to the dispensing position and the slot is sized so that theclip cannot slide down the nozzle over the flange.